Building construction



Dec. 20, 1932. F. M. vl-:NzlE

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. 20. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INI/ENTORDeC. 2o, 1932, F; M VENUE 1,891,511

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 'Filed Deo. 2o, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 2 PatentedDec. 20, 1932 FREDERICK M. VENZAIE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIABUILDING .CONSTRUCTION Application r11-ea December 2o, 1930. serialN0.15o3,635. 'Y

This invention, generally stated, relates'to a build-ing structure andhas more vespecial relation to ceiling slabs as utilized 4in con-Vnection witha building construction.

5' One object of the present invention is to provide a ceiling structurein which pre-cast slabs of cement'itious material have interloc-kedrelation both longitudinally and lateralfly considered whereby theceiling slabs have continuous reinforced connection from end to end of abuilding both throughout its length and breadth.` Y

Another object of the present invention is to provide a ceilingconstruction in which pre-cast slabs lhave interlocked connection attheir ends by means of knuckle-jointk arrangement of parts.V

A further object of the present invention l is to prov-ide a ceilingconstruction in which V pre-cast slabs longitudinally considered arere-in'forced in a continuous manner throughout the length of a buildingby means of an angle iron, ladder-like construction with ad- Ajacentslabs vtied or coupled together laterally throughout the breadth of abuilding.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a ceilingstructure of the cha-racter stated in which means is provided forreadily suspending pre-cast ceiling slabs even though the floor membersmay not be evenly spaced.

A st-ill further object of the present invention is to provide means forengaging the Alongitudinal edges of adjacent edges of precast ceilingslabs intermediate spaced floor members to prevent buckling at suchpoints as are not directly supported by the floorV members. y

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novelform of pre-cast ceiling slabsuspending cli-p which is capable of useeither in connection with properly spaced floor members or auxiliarymembers as supported from flooring.

A stil-l further object of the lpresent invention is to provide aceiling construction of the character stated in which unskilled labor Y'may lreadily and expeditiously assemble ceiling slabs of pre-castcementrtious material.

A still further object ofthe present invention is to provide a structureof the character :stated which is simple, eflicient, and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture, ythe various parts being Triade at -acentral plant for shipping to point lof -erectionfready for 55.assembling. v 1

Other and further Vobjects of Ithe present invention reside in theprovision of general details Aof construction and in the arrangement,combination, and connectionof parts for attaining the results sought bythe foregoing -objects l rThe invention consists of the novelconstruction hereinafter described and finally i claimed. 5

The nature, characteristic features and v scope of the invention will bemore fully unders'tood from the `following description taken inconnection withthe accompanying drawings forming Vpart hereof, and inwhich:

Fig. l is a view principally in longitudinal' section =of pre-castceiling slabs as supported from "Hoo r members;

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section of a pair of the ceiling slabs shownin Fig. l, as tied 75' orl coupled together;

Fig. .3 is a view in end the ceiling slabs;

Fig. 14 is a view in perspective of one 0f gie Ycleiling slab supportingclips shown in 89 Fig. 5 is a view taken upon the section line 5 5 of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a v-iew as seen vfrom the underside of pre-cast slabs coupledor' tied Itogether;

F 7 is a 'longitudinal edge view -of one of the slabs Fig. Sis a. viewin side elevation of a metal clip 'for coupling together pre-castceiling. slabs laterally;

Fig. '9 is an end view of Fig. 8; vand lF-ig. l0 is a fragmentary viewin crossseotion illustrating a slightly modiied manner of couplingtogether adjacent ceiling slabs.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in theaccompanying drawings two forms thereof vwhich are at present Ypreferredby me, since the same have elevation of one of been found in practice togive satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understoodthat the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can bevariously arranged and organized and that my inven tion is not limitedto the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities asherein shown and described. i

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and with more especial relationfirst to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive, the reference numeral 11 designates afloor of cementitious material supported upon floor members 12, usuallyI-beams, which may be or may not be equally spaced apart, and which aspractice dictates are not usually found equally spaced This isparticularly true when it'becomes neces-V sary to introduce a girderdesignated 13 in connection with the iioo 'ine'. vIt also happens thatit sometimes becomes necessary to introduce a plasterers channel 14between a pair of floor members. Having these conditions in mind itis ofthe essence of the present invention that means be provided to properlysuspend, with respect to the flooring 11, pre-cast ceiling slabs 15 ofcementitious material. Each slab 15 has embedded therein a reinforcementcomprising a ladder-like structure made up of spaced, parallel,longitudinal angle-irons 16 of inverted VL-shape, connecting which.angle-irons are cross-members 17 usually of relatively heavy wire, theterminus of each cross-member being bent over the tops ofthe'angle-irons as at 18, see Fig. 2. Each slab 15 is provided at eachend with spaced lingers 19 slightly bevelled, as shown best inFig. 3,for cooperatively engaging similar iingers of an adjoining slab, as isclearly illustrated in Fig. 5, to interlock the slabs longitudinallyconsidered from end to end of a' building structure. Each ceiling slab,longitudinally considered, is grooved as at 20 to accept the fingers ofmetal clips best seen in Figs. 4 and 8, a description of which willpresently be given. Each slab is also provided along its longitudinaledges with spaced, vertically disposed slots 21, across which theangle-irons 16 extend as best seen in Fig. 6. TWhen the ceiling slabsare positioned side by side and end to end as clearly shown in Fig. 6,the wires 22 are employed for coupling together adjacent slabs, thusproviding an` interlock of re-inforced parts Vthroughout .the width ofthe building. rlhe tie-wires 22 arepassed through apertures formed inthe vertical bars of the angleirons 16, best seen in Fig. 2. Thelongitudinal edges of the slabs are also provided with ribs 23 andgrooves 24 to complete an interlock of parts laterally. The

ceiling slabs in practice are further coupled.

together or interlocked by means of metal clips, as best seen 1n Figs. 8and 9. The clip is designated by reference numeral 25 and is stampedfrom a single blank so as to provideA `notched portions 29 and 30.

a vertically disposed bar 26. Extended therefrom at right angles theretoare horizontally opposed lingers 27 the lower-most ones of which areadapted to engage in the grooves 20 of the ceiling slabs, and theupper-most ones of which are adapt-ed to engage over the top faces ofadjacent slabs, as best seen in Fig. 5. rihe ceiling slabs are suspendedfrom the floor members by means of a reversible clip, best seen in Fig.4. `Fach clip is stamped from a single blank and comprises a verticallydisposed plate 28 havingv opposed In use the notched portion 29 of aclip is caused to engage over the lower flange of an I-beam 12, as bestseen inrFig. 1. However, in case it is necessary, because the floorsupports are not properly spaced, to make use of an auxiliary floormember 31 to support a small channel 32, then the notched portion of aclip is caused to engage over the channel 32. In

either case the fingers 33 of plate 28 are caused to engage overtheupper surface of a ceiling slab and the lingers 34 are caused toengage the grooves 2O of adjacent slabs for suspending the latter from afloor member. It is to be observed that the fingers 33 and 34 arearranged at right angles to the plate 28 and are disposed in differenthorizontal planes. rlhe plate28 of a clip is provided with opening 35wherebythe latter may be nailed to place with respect to a ceiling slab.In someinstances it may be advisable :to em* ploy small channel-irons 14between the floor membersin order to suspend adjacent ends of theceiling slabs. In such case I make use of metal, hook-likemembers 36 forengagin over the channel-irons and beneath wires 1r embedded in theslabs 15.V In the connection it is to be noted that apertures may beformed upon the top faces of the slabs in order that the bottoms of thehook-like members 36 may be caused to.v engage the wires 17.

The construction disclosed in Fig. 1() is similar in all respects tothat disclosed in the other figures, with the exception that theangle-irons 16 forming part of the ladderlike reinforcement are securedor tied together' by means of tie-wires 38 having swivelled cross rods39 whereby when the tiewires of the cross-rods 39 are introduced throughapertures in the tops ofthe slabs to permit the cross-rods to rest uponthe slab tops and the terminus of the tie wires twisted together beneaththe angle-irons 16 of the reinforcement, a complete and efficientinterlock of ceiling slabs is obtained.

TWhat. is claimedis:

, 1. In a ceiling structure of the character stated, floor members ofmetal having flanged portions, pre-cast ceiling slabs of cementitiousmaterial arranged beneath said floor members endtoend in abuttingrelation, said abutting ends having interlocked relation onewithanother, the sides of said ceiling slabshaving longitudinal groovestherein, and metal clips for suspending said ceiling slabs from saidfloor members, each clip comprising a fiat plate having extendedtherefrom at right angles fingers for engaging in the grooves of saidslabs and being notched in a plane above said fingers to engage over theflanged portion ofsaid ioor members.

2. In a ceiling structure of the character stated, floor members ofmetal having iianged portions, pre-cast ceiling slabs of cementitiousmaterial arranged beneath said floor members end to end in abuttingrelation, said abutting ends having interlocked relation one withanother, the sides of said ceiling slabs having longitudinal groovestherein, a reinforcement/of ladder-like form embedded in each slab, theside rails of said reinforcement paralleling the slab sides, and metalclips for suspending said ceiling slabs from said floor members, eachclip com risatright angles fingers for engaging in the grooves of saidslabs and being notched in a plane above said fingers to engage overth-e fianged portion of said floor members.

3. In a ceiling structure of the character stated, floor members ofmetal having flanged portions, pre-cast ceiling slabs of cementitiousmaterial arranged beneath said floor members end to end in abuttingrelation, said abutting yends having interloclred relation one withanother, the sides of said ceiling slabs having longitudinal groovestherein, a reinforcement of ladder-like form embedded in each slab, theside rails of said reinforcement paralleling the slab sides, tie Wiresconnecting the side rails of adjacent slabs to form an interlock, andmetal clips for suspending said ceiling slabs from said floor members,each clip comprising a Hatplate having extended therefrom at rightangles fingers for engaging in the grooves of said slabs and beingnotched in a plane above said ngers to engage over the iianged portionof said floor members.

4. In a ceiling structure of the character stated, floor members ofmetal having flanged portions, pre-cast ceiling slabs of cementitiousmaterial arranged beneath said floor members end to end in abuttingrelation one with another, the sides of said ceiling slabs havinglongitudinal grooves therein, met-al clips for suspending said ceilingslabs from said floor members, each clip comprising a fiat plate havingextended therefrom at right angles fingers for engaging in the groovesof said slabs and being notched in a plane above said fingers to engageover the flanged portion of said fioor members, and other clips engagingthe grooves of adjacent slabs for coupling said slabs togetherintermediate said floor members.

5. In a ceilingI structure of the character engage over ing a flat platehaving extended there rom Stated, floor membersiof metal having yflangedportions, pre-cast :ceiling: slabs of .cementi-` tiousmaterial arrangedbeneath said iioor membersfend to end in :abutting relation, saidabut-ting ends having interloclred relation one with another, f thesides-of', said ceiling slabs'having longitudinal grooves-therein, areinforcement of ladder-like form embedded in each slab, the side ,rails0f said reinforcement paralleling the slab sides, tiewires contendedtherefrom at right'angles fingers for engaging inthe grooves vofsaid'slabs and being notched in a planeabove said lingersto the iiangedportion of saidzfloor members. Y i v- 6. y,In a. ceiling structureofthexcharacter stated, Hoor membersof metal having fianged portions,pre-,cast ceiling slabs of cementitious material arranged beneathsaid.fioor members end to end inabutting relation,fsaid abutting .ends havinginterlocked relation one with another, the sidesof said ceilingV slabshaving longitudinal 'grooves therein, metal clips forsuspending'saidceilingsl'abs from said floor members, each clip comprising a- `fiatplate havingfextended ltherefrom at right angles fingers for engaging inthe grooves of said'slabsand ,being notched in a. plane above saidfingers-to engage'oiver the iianged portion of said .floor members,plasterei"skchannels `arranged between vadjacent floor .members andhooks arranged at :the ends ofsaidslabs forengaging. said plasterei"schannels. l

v7. In aceiling structure of the character stated, floor members ofmetal having-flanged portions, pre-.cast ceiling slabs of cementitiousmaterial arranged beneath said floor members end to end in abuttingrelation, said abutting ends having interlocked relation inknuckle-joint fashion one with another, the

sides of said ceiling slabs having longitudinal grooves therein, andmetal clips for suspending said ceiling slabs from said floor members,each clip comprising aflat plate having extended therefrom at rightangles fingers for engaging in the grooves of said slabs and beingnotched in a plane above said fingers to engage over the flanged portionof said floor members.

8. v'In a ceiling structure of the character stated, floor members ofmetal having flanged portions, pre-cast ceiling slabs of cementitiousmaterial arranged beneath said fioor members end to end in abuttingrelation, said p abutting ends having interlocked relation one Withanother, the sides of said ceiling slabs having longitudinal groovestherein,

and metal clips for suspending said ceiling slabs vfromA said ioormembers, each clip comprising a fiat plate having extended therefrom atright angles lingers for engaging in the grooves of said slabs and beingnotched in a planel above said fingers to engage over the flangedportion of said floor members, said slabs being formed to have tongueand groove connection with one another along their longitudinal edges.

9. A construction as describedin claim 'l characterized by each pre-castceiling slab having embedded therein a reinforcement of Substantiallyladder-like configuration the side rails of Which are formed ofangleirons. v

10. A construction as described in claim 1 characterized by eachpre-cast ceiling slab having embedded therein a reinforcement ofsubstantially ladder-like configuration the side rails of which areformed of .angle-irons, th-e side Walls of each said slab being undercutat spaced intervals to permit tying together of the side railsofcompanion slabs. 11. A construction as described in claim lcharacterized by said interlocked portions being formed of beveledtenons.`

12. A construction as described in claim 2 characterized by plastererschannels arranged intermediate of said floor members, and hook-likemembers engaging over the tops of said plasterers channels and beneaththe cross-rods of said ladder-like reinforcement. e e

v 13. A construction as described in claim 2 characterized by aperturesextending entirely through said slabs for accommodating hook-likemembers for engaging over plasterers channels introduced intermediate ofsaid iioor members and beneath the crossbars of said ladder-likereinforcement.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

FREDERICK M. VENZIE.

